59During Zedekiah's#51.59 Zedekiah's: See the note at 1.3. fourth year as king of Judah, he went to Babylon. And Baruch's brother Seraiah#51.59 Baruch's brother Seraiah: Hebrew “Seraiah son of Neriah and grandson of Mahseiah”; Baruch helped Jeremiah write down his messages (see 32.12; 36.4-10). went along as the officer in charge of arranging for places to stay overnight.#51.59 arranging for places to stay overnight: Hebrew and one ancient translation; two ancient translations, “the tax money”.

60Before they left, I wrote on a scroll#51.60 scroll: See the note at 30.1,2. all the terrible things that would happen to Babylon. 61I gave the scroll to Seraiah and said:

When you get to Babylon, read this scroll aloud, 62then pray, “Our LORD, you promised to destroy this place and make it into a desert where no people or animals will ever live.”

63When you finish praying, tie the scroll to a rock and throw it in the River Euphrates. Then say,#Rev 18.21.64“This is how Babylon will sink when the LORD destroys it. Everyone in the city will die, and it won't have the strength to rise again.”